STORM BLANCA IS A BUZZKILL!

La Paz – Las Arenas/ Bahia de Los Muertos Fishing Report for Week of May 31 to June 7, 2015

At the time you’re reading this, we’ll know what, if any effect, Hurricane/Storm Blanca will have done to us. I’m writing this about noon of Sunday trying to get this up and posted before we lose power. We already lost power a few last night for short perdiods. I’m hustling to write so excuse any typos!

As I write this, everyone is watching to see what will happen. We have been tracking this for days. It has been like watching a roller coaster ride because it has changed up and down by the hour.

Right now…The storm sits a couple of hundred miles south of us where is seems to vary between a dangerous Category 1 and 2. (It was up to to a 3 and 4). The whopper that hit Baja last year was a Cat 4-5 with winds close to 200 miles and hour. Named “Odile”, it’s fresh in our memories and many of us are still recovering so we’re all anxious to see what nature has in store. But, it’s coming.

As of this moment, they CLOSED CABO AIRPORT and the La Paz marinas have been closed for two days. If you’re coming down in the next few days, I would suggest you call your airlines. This will probably last through Tuesday. Check! As of right now, the La Paz Airport is open.

At the moment, predictions have the storm diminishing it’s effect on us here in La Paz. The eye of the storm has it going west and north instead of directly overhead. It will make landfall much further north on the Baja Peninsula and probably bring California some much needed rain. For us here in La Paz, we’re probably gonna get a few inches of rain today and tomorrow with some winds up to 60 MPH by tomorrow. It’s not like Odile last year, but not to be taken lightly.

It’s NOT a hurricane, but it’s a very strong TROPICAL storm

For sure . strong winds in the 20-40 mph category are predicted to blow Sunday, Monday and Tuesday which is much more problematic. Even though the sun will likely be out, anything in double digits will make it impossible to be out on the water for our panga fleets here in La Paz. Even if it’s safe, it’s not gonna be fun out there. Plus, our bite has been so great for wahoo and roosters and our dorado bite just hit stride so I’m anxious to see how the bite will be affected post-Blanca.

To the government’s credit, the CFE crews are already out and marshalled in front of Hotel Marina. These CFE guys and their big trucks saved us all last year when the big one hit us and many of us were out’ve power for several weeks. The CFE guys are the power company guys and boat loads of the landed after last year’s hurricane and it was like the marines had landed or the cavalry showed up! With no power, they’re no electricity. No cooking. No pumps to pump water. Nothing! The trucks are already here now and ready to go. We talked to one of the CFE guys last night and he said they are actually parking themselves at various hot spots ready to immediately tackle problems.

Anyway, nothing to do but wait and see. Last year, Odile took the same track and at the last minute turned inwards and kicked the hell outta lower Baja, after we all thought it was going to pass us up.

Fingers crossed!

ELECTION DAY

Another sidebar story…Sunday…today is election day. NO ALCOHOL SALES IN LA PAZ are allowed. So, with the storm and all, we figured we might as well close the Tailhunter Restaurant Bar and also let our employees spend the day with their families and taking care of their homes.

So, I ran out to the market Saturday night to stock up on batteries, tape, canned good, etc. We are always prepared, but never hurts to have extras. Last year before Odile, no one seemed to pay much mind and got caught flatfooted. So, this year, everyone would be making a run of emergency supplies at the market.

I went to the market and there were PLENTY of supplies. However, everyone was buying ALL THE BEER they could get a hold of! People were more concerned with enough beer to get through election Sunday and in case stores are closed for several days afterwards! I have heard that some stores have sold out of all their beer already! Viva Mexico! LOL

I have run into several friends who bought lots of beer on Saturday and stocked up their ice chests. However, they ended up drinking it all up and now are in a panic now trying to find beer!

Anyway, here’s what’s been happening. It’s been a solid week!

LAS ARENAS/ MUERTOS BAY

Wow, that wahoo bite…not much to say except that in the last 3 weeks, we’ve gotten more wahoo than in the last 5 years combined. I hate to sound cocky but this has been incredible. Pangas are getting 1-5 wahoo per day. The only clients of ours not getting a wahoo are those that are fishing for something else; flyfishers; or folks who are hooking them but losing the speedsters. These fish are all quality 20-50 pounders!

We’re getting a little spoiled. Some of our anglers have no idea just how we’re rolling in gravy. They’re starting to complain! LOL

“I only got ONE wahoo today.”

“I just had TWO wahoo today. The other boats got more than me!”

Yikes! Hahahaha…what can ya do?

Besides the wahoo, we’re still getting decent numbers of those tasty white bonito (meat like tuna!) and rooster fish have been in the 20-40 pound class. Plus, we’re seeing pompano, jack crevalle, the occasional sierra (must be some cold water around), plus hooking a marlin or two as well as the marlin and sails are starting to wake up!

The bite diminished towards the end of the week on Thursday, Friday and Saturday as big rollers from the storm to the south started coming in and bait got harder to find. We stopped fishing the area and see how things pick up after the storm.

LA PAZ

Our Tailhunter La Paz Fleet has been consistent for action. Inshore stuff for pargo, cabrilla, snapper, amberjack, rooster fish, jack crevalle and bonito has produced 20-30 fish days with lots of released fish, but lots of fun battling these fish in the rocks.

The best news is late in the week we finally started seeing some larger schools of dorado that we’ve been waiting for. Fish are small to medium…5 to 15 pounders with many of the anglers releasing the smaller fish, but it’s encouraging to finally see the dorado moving in.

Also more billfish in the area as well which should only get better with so many more smaller dorado around.

We fished La Paz until late in the week when the Port Captain closed the port and prevented all watercraft from leaving!

That’s our story!